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Student government looks at possibility of tobacco-free campus

Emily Guyton, left, and Samantha Hudson, both Mesa State College students, enjoy a smoke near the dorms on the Mesa St College campus. A meeting on Wednesday will discuss the possible of no smoking on campus.

By {screen_name}
Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The only butts at Mesa State College will be attached to bodies next spring if Associated Student Government members go forward with a proposed campus smoking ban.

Association members will have a meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday in Room 104 of the new academic classroom building, where they will listen to opinions about making the campus 100 percent tobacco-free.

The issue came up in the spring when Melissa Lehew was running for re-election as student government senator. She said some students told her they were worried about cigarette butts collecting around buildings or smoke inflaming their asthma.

Lehew said student government Vice President Nick Lopez has received several e-mails about the proposed ban, and many of them are negative.

“People tend to speak up when it affects them,” Lehew said.

The University of Denver, Colorado Christian University and Denver School of Nursing are tobacco-free campuses, she said.

Associated Student Government members could suggest the ban to Board of Trustees members and Mesa State President Tim Foster or bring the ban to a student vote, according to Lehew.

Attendees Thursday will be able to discuss their views about the proposal while having pizza.